Family And Blood
by Generic Chimera
Summary: Guests are coming. The question is, will they be welcomed? And who exactly will welcome them? (BtVS/WWE)
1. Family and Blood, chapter 1

Disclaimer: Me not own any Buffy characters or WWE characters. Oh, if I only did…

Timeline: Kind of AU for the WWE folk. In Buffyverse…no Tara, Anya, or Dawn. Everyone is unattached except Buffy and Riley. After Spike got chipped and kinda became a Scooby. In other words, slightly AU as well.

Pairings: Buffy/Riley (established), Adam/Jay, small Spike/WWE-ers, might be Matt/Xander and Jeff/Willow

Angelus grinned at her maliciously. "Go on. Kill me," he said softly.

Buffy hesitated, the sword tip resting just on his chest. "You killed Miss Calender," she said emotionlessly. "You hurt Giles, and Willow…" Her voice broke.

"And you," Angelus finished. His grin stayed, taunting her. "How does it feel to be on the wrong end of the strength line?"

Buffy nodded, the motion sending the blade dangerously close to breaking the dead skin. "Like you do now."

Without another word she thrust the sword down as hard as she could straight through his heart…and he looked at her, still smiling as he melted into Riley.

That was when she awoke crying.

Matt shook his head. "Why?"

His brother shot him a look. "What?"

"No, why?"

"I know why, but why?"

Matt scratched his head. "This is going around in circles."

Jeff shrugged. "Why did you say why?"

"No reason. Just wondering why mama and dad didn't stop after one kid."

The youngest Hardy shot him an injured look. "Don'tcha love me anymore?" he whimpered pathetically.

Matt whistled innocently as packet of Fritos hit his younger sibling upside the head. Jeff glared at him, rubbing the spot whilst Matt ducked away from about a dozen flying packs of Skittles.

The blonde nearest the counter rolled his eyes. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he centred himself and lightly pulled on his friend's consciousness. He flicked a hand. The freaked out clerk suddenly received a dreamy look about him within the midst of a few blue sparkles. "Idiots," he stated, before directing one of the Skittle packets to hit another blonde on the head as he came out of the bathroom. 

"Ow."

"Serves you right," the first blonde tittered, watching as Matt went to war with Jeff, Snickers bar against a tube of toothpaste.

"Why?"

Adam shot him a look. "What?"

The brunette and his blue-haired brother stopped the battle and shrugged. Grinning devilishly, they opened one of the packs of Skittles. If the designated grown-ups weren't watching, they could at least store up a bit of sugar-

"Uh uh!" Adam whipped the packet out of their hands, scowling at them when he realised the pack was open. Matt just smiled at him, chewing innocently. Sighing heavily, he dropped the bright plastic on the counter and handed the still dreamy clerk a bill.

"How long have we got until Sunnydale?" Adam questioned.

The other blonde checked his watch. "We should be there by sundown."

Adam nodded, watching as Matt suddenly found a new use for pancake mix. "Just enough time to get to her."

Jay rested his head on his lover's shoulder. "Don't you mean him?"

Pressing a quick kiss to Jay's temple the tall blonde reiterated, "Him. Them. Whatever."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Red, what are you doing?"

Willow paced, an almost annoyed look on her face. "It's seven fifteen."

Spike lit a cigarette and inhaled. Realizing that even after his nicotine rush it still didn't make any sense, he gave up. "Which means…?"

Willow stopped pacing, shooting him a confused look. "Which means what?"

The vampire let out an annoyed sigh. _You don't have to breathe, remember?_ "What does 'it's seven fifteen' have to do with you pacing up and down wearing a hole in the carpet?"

She sniffed. "There is no carpet here. And Buffy was supposed to meet me here at seven."

"Slutty probably just landed in a clutch of fledglings," he shrugged.

After a beat of silence they looked at one another. Willow moved to grab their coats and Spike grabbed his own Mr. Pointy.

"Yeah, the devil…da-na-da-na sure, beat the monster red so the blood don't stain the floor…" Matt laughed.

"Yeah, never, beetle set for sure, story of the shatknee sickness watch it flow yeah!" Jeff continued. They bounded down the concrete before Jeff stopped, smack-dab in the middle of the road. Matt kept twirling, mindless of the very few pedestrians looking at him like he was crazy. "Hey, Adam? What does 'shatknee' mean?"

The tallest blonde rolled his eyes. "It's not shatknee, Jeff, it's 'shot come'."

Jeff nodded sagely. "Oh."

He frowned. "What's a shot come sickness?"

Jay rolled his eyes at both of them. "It's not shot come sickness, it's 'sorry as a shot, came sickness'."

Jeff rolled his eyes back at him. "What does that mean?"

Jay shrugged. "Ask Adam. It was his music."

Adam groaned. "Thanks," he growled. "Offload the brat onto me."

The smaller blonde grinned at him angelically and leaned his head against Adam's shoulder. "You love me for it." Jeff bounced impatiently, getting a little sick to the stomach as his two best friends made coo-coo eyes at one another.

A scream interrupted their thoughts. Jeff shot a look at the two behind him. They all started running.

"Where's Matt?" Adam shouted over the pounding footfalls.

Jay, the fastest of them, skidded to a stop at the entrance of an alleyway. "Here," he called back.

As Adam and Jeff slid to a halt behind him, Jay sprang into the developing fight. 

Matt blocked quickly, sending a split-second glance to check out where his friends were. Jay was keeping the other one busy, Adam was searching the muck on the side of the alley for wood and Jeff was checking on the victim. Matt giggled as the vampire tried to bite him before bringing a knee up. "Yo, Matt!" he heard. The brunette glanced up just in time to catch a flying pencil-sized shard of wood. He raised an eyebrow as he drove it home.

Adam watched as Matt came over, dusting off his hands. "You couldn't have made it any smaller, could you? I mean all that bulky extra wood just got in the way." The two watched as Jay kept fighting against the taller, heavier vampire.

"Any help for me?" Jay managed to get out, ducking away from a chop that sliced a few centimetres into the brick wall behind him.

Adam and Matt shrugged innocently. "DDT," Mat suggested.

"Spear," Adam countered.

"Unprettier," they heard Jeff call from behind them. He appeared, grinning, as Jay finished the unmoving vamp off with a stake to the chest. "How much were we betting?"

"Nothing now," Matt told him, walking out of the lane slowly. "The chick?"

"Dead." They turned to wait for the blondes at the end of the alley.

Adam and Jay exchanged glances with the two younger men. "We should find him soon," Jay whispered.

Adam frowned faintly before crouching and kissing two fingers. He pressed the two fingers to the victim's forehead, whispering something under his breath.

The girl gasped in a rattling, raspy breath.

Jay smiled at his boyfriend proudly, who gave an answering triumphant smile. As the girl stirred, Jay whispered a few words, the palm of his hand inches from touching the girl's forehead. A light blue glow enveloped his fingertips before darting towards the female. Matt grinned, and slapped Jeff on the shoulder. "You're it!"

Jay shook his head, darting after the two mischievous men. "Hey! I say, hey now!" Adam could hear Jay called in a horrible Southern twang. Adam glanced at the girl quickly, then walked off with a swish of his duster. 

Willie had been victim to a hell of a lot of things in his day. Bharal demons, the Slayer, vamps, ghouls and ghosties…

But he couldn't remember anything like this.

Four guys, all a least a hundred odd pounds heavier than him, and three around six inches taller. Next one probably four inches on that. All four dressed totally in black, in long-sleeve and high-necked tops, the two blondes in jeans and the other two in long, baggy cargoes. All in a circle around him and demanding.

"Where the hell does Spike live?" a brunette demanded.

Willie tried the bluff. "I don't know any Spike."

One of the blondes rolled his eyes and grabbed a roll of bills from his back pocket. "Two hundred says you give us a true yes or no."

The smaller, slimier man's eyes bulged. "Then again, the face is coming back to me." He made a grab for the money but the second, shorter blonde grabbed it quicker.

"Five double-oh says you give us an approximate location." He added three more bills to the kitty.

"Well, uh, the Sunnydale Memorial Cemetery is pretty nice this time of night if you avoid the Slayer. And the mausoleum of a certain Dr Robert Parker is furnished unusually well, if you would want to drop in there," Willie garbled.

The blue…or was it purple?…haired dude smiled, making an elaborate show of straightening Willie's cheap suit and tie. He then kinda ruined the effect by slapping him to the ground.

Blondie #1 let the bills drop by his head, the brunette half-heartedly kicking him as they left.

_Thud._

_Hiss._

One fledgling down, a gazillion to go.

Spike cracked his back, circulating his limbs in their sockets before twisting in midair to avoid another one. Nothing like a little bit of old-fashioned violence to get the good ol' undead heart and blood pumping. He staked the young one immediately, glancing around to see the rest of the fledglings were finished. "Aye, Red!" he called. "I'll be off." 

The witch nodded at him, helping Buffy up from her not all that nice position of folded in a dumpster. "Bye, Spike."

The blonde didn't bother glancing around before utterly vamping out and start running full-pelt for home. The anticipated fight had been finished almost before the witch and vampire had arrived, but there was still that annoying adrenaline ticking at him something awful. He swerved, narrowly missing a group of chattering teens that didn't even look twice at his demon face. Yet another bullet-point on his 'Sunnydale Residents Are Stupid Gits' list.

Leaping easily over the cemetery fence he used a few tombstones to leapfrog easily to his 'home'. He landed lightly outside and sniffed. He growled lightly before recognising the scents…

This was not going to be a good night to be a certain former mass-murdering vamp.

Jeff smiled at Matt as the brunette's fingers ticked down the seconds. _Five, four, three, two…one._

He bounced out and squealed, jumping easy circles around the startled bleached-blonde vamp trying to remain dignified outside the concrete building. As he came out of the shadows Adam rolled his eyes at the elder 'man' and pulled him into a half-hug. "Great to see you again," he muttered.

"Wish I could say the same for you four whelps," Spike returned, fending off an overexcited Jeff with one hand.

"What's with the face?" Jay asked softly.

William the Bloody lightly touched his demon face before shifting. "Sorry love," he said in an equally soft tone before pulling the smallest blonde into a bone-crushing hug. "Missed you," he whispered into Jay's hair.

Adam sent him a teasing grin as they trooped into the crypt Spike called his home. "Hands off. Mine."

Spike pulled Jay away slightly, studying him. Jay flushed. "Four years."

"Finally!" Matt exclaimed, jumping onto the couch. He peeked over the back of it at his four friends. "Adam told Jeff and Jay told me and we got to matchmaking."

"I can figure you doing that, you little ass," Spike said affectionately, diving over the back of the couch onto his friend. Ruffling his hair he grinned. "So what ever happened to that hourglass blonde you obsessed over for months?"

Matt mock-frowned back. "You drank him, you little pig."

"Oh yeah," Spike remembered. "You aren't still mad at me for that, are you?"

Matt smiled angelically, resting his head on Spike's chest. "Why would I be mad, Spikey?"

Jeff coughed. "Last time you got that expression on your face my favourite shoes were mysteriously nailed to the wall and there were photos of me asleep in drag conveniently pinned up on the hotel bulletin board. And I still have to get you back for that, Matthew."

"Be afraid, William. Be very, very afraid," Jay told him from his position in Adam's lap.

Spike raised his eyebrows in their direction. "I don't think I need to tell you what happens if you hurt him," he warned.

Adam nodded, expecting nothing less from the vampire. "I'll welcome anything you do if I hurt him."

Jeff grinned at Jay, who rolled his eyes. "I wonder when they'll remember I'm here," Jay said to him in a stage whisper.

Spike glared at the blonde, not looking as threatening as he would have liked considering Matt was still cuddled up to him like a puppy. 

"Jeff, could you smack him please?" Jay asked, sticking his tongue in his cheek.

"With pleasure." SMACK.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?"

Jay smiled at him, his angelic grin matching Matt's. "To tell you that I can handle myself, thank you very much. If Adam deserves a good kick in the nuts, I'm going to be the one to do it."

Adam winced. "Uh, love? That's not exactly something you should be telling your boy-fffphmmmp!"

Jeff rolled his eyes as the two started necking. "I don't know how much handling of himself Jay's going to be doing."

"Adam'll manage fine," Matt said, still smiling at Spike.

"I'm really in trouble aren't I pet?" Spike asked.

Matt nodded.

"Oh for the love of-"

"Thank God natural blondes are getting rarer," Matt muttered.

Jeff stuck his tongue out. "Child," he sniffed.

"You're younger than me," Mat shot back.

"Guys, guys, please shut the hell up!" Jay snapped.

"Gimmick infringement," he could hear Adam mutter.

"Oooooh…" both Hardyz mocked. Then "Yeep!" as Jay lunged for them.

Spike heaved a sigh before flicking the end of a bottle at Adam. "Alcohol?"

"Please."

They ignored the impromptu tackle-tag game between Jason, Matt and Jeff. The both of them, however, deigned to interfere as soon as Jeff's tackle of Matt went a little wide and hit the table they were sitting at, sending the alcohol flying.

Thereon it became a battle of "I'll kill you!"s, "sorry!"s, "catch me if you can!"s and a heck of a lot of raspberry noises from the less mature members of the group (namely Matt and Jeff) followed by loud yelps.

But of course the natural law states that in your most embarrassing moment there must be witnesses. Following this law, it was at Spike's most embarrassing point of the fight that Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles and Riley walked in.

"Bloody hell," Spike muttered. He winced. "I'm getting squashed here luvs."

Jeff grinned in victory, ignoring the gaping people a few feet to his left. He ruffled Spike's hair. "Poor Spikey-wikey, we getting too heavy for you?" 

Spike growled at the young man sitting on his chest. "I am most definitely going to stake-oof!"

Matt giggled before bouncing on Spike's stomach again. "Me want ride on horsey!" he demanded.

The blonde vampire oof-ed again, what little air remained inside his undead lungs whooshing out. "Love, if I've said it once, I've said it a zillion times, I don't swing your way."

The Scoobies exchanged glances. "Uh…huh…" Riley said slowly. 

Spike twisted his head around at the voice, eyes widening as he took in the group standing there. "Eeep," he managed.

Adam and Jay rolled their eyes at one another before steeping forward and each grabbing a Hardy by the ear.

"Owie owie owie!" Jeff protested.

Matt took his punishment from Adam more quietly. He sat on the lidded tomb and commenced sulking, hands crossed over his chest and a pout on his lips.

The bleached blonde Spike coughed, trying to regain some composure and dignity, then looked up at the Scoobies.

"Can we just back away and pretend this never happened?" Xander asked in a faint voice.

Buffy shook her head slowly. "Oh, I wish we could."

Jeff started whimpering at Jay. "That's not going to work," the blonde warned.

Matt nudged Adam with his elbow. "After puppy eyes?"

Adam shook his head. "Pouting."

"Ten?"

"Why not make it interesting?"

Jeff crowed as Jay grimaced and let him go. Matt stuck his hand out with a grin. "You overestimate your boy." Adam growled as he handed the elder Hardy a bill. Matt kicked his feet in celebration, the dull thuds barely sounding in the packed crypt. 

Giles cleared his throat. "Aren't you going to introduce us, Spike?"

The vamp in question quickly sculled the rest of an abandoned bottle before answering. "Do I have to?"

"Introduce us to your nice friends, Spikey-Wikey," Jeff piped up, jumping around Spike's mausoleum. Jay rolled his eyes and firmly sat him down on Spike's couch, grabbing an innocent bystander by the name of Willow and plonking her in his lap.

"Please don't move," he begged. Whether he was asking Willow or Jeff, though, no one could tell.

Willow blushed a deep red. "I…uh…buh, I…uh…"

Jeff, for his part, had interlocked his hands around the redhead's waist and was grinning.

Xander looked indignant…and a little caveman-ish. Buffy, on the other hand, just looked a little murderous. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded, hands on hips.

Adam, who had been quietly exploring the walls of Spike's 'home', smirked slightly at her angry expression. "Sorry love, but weren't you the ones who came barging in here?"

"I think we would be the ones entitled to your identities first," Jay added, curling up on the end of the sofa not occupied by Jeff and Willow. He frowned a little, kicking lightly at Jeff. "Lovebird, you just met her. You can't keep her."

Jeff just smiled angelically at him over Willow's shoulder. She had given up on trying to wriggle out, and had squished him into a position just nice for her. "Who says I can't?"

The Slayer growled as Willow blushed again. Jeff felt the warmth radiating from her cheek to his, and pressed his face up even closer to hers. "You smell nice," he said out of the blue.

The Slayer growled yet again, about two milliseconds away from marching over and yanking Willow out of Jeff's grasp. Riley held her back with a hand across her chest. "I'm Special Agent Riley Finn, of the Initiative. This is Buffy Summers, current Vampire Slayer. This is Rupert Giles, her Watcher. Alexander Harris. And the redhead your-" He sniffed. "-_friend_ manhandled is Willow Rosenburg, resident Wicca."

All four strangers blinked.

"He has to get his rocks off," Spike muttered.

"Just try it, hostile," Riley snapped.

Adam scratched his head, absently pacing like a caged animal. "Alrighty. So this is Buffy…longest living Slayer in…" His lips moved silently as he counted. "…three thousand and forty-three? No, forty-four years. Rupert Giles who turned his back on the Watcher's Council when they decided to play God…Xander-" 

"Who if I say so myself, is much cuter than that Mucana demon said-" Matt butted in. Xander started stuttering and blushing.

Adam gave his friend a dirty look. "-and who if I remember correctly, almost single-handedly defended Sunnydale for four months. And of course Miss Willow, who closed the Hellmouth. Period. But uh…" The blonde scratched his head again, stopping at the end of Matt's improvised couch. "Who exactly are _you_?"

Riley went purple.

"But who exactly are _you_?" Willow echoed, turning to look at the three of them, still on Jeff's lap.

Jay smiled at her, kicking Jeff again. "I'm Jay, black hair is Matt, you're sitting on Jeff and the blonde over there is Adam."

"Uh, but back to what you said, Mr. Matt, sir?" Xander asked. "You really think-"

"That you're cute?" Matt finished, his feet continuing the dull thuds against the concrete.

"Uh, that would be what I was looking for, yeah."

The brunette wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I don't discuss my sexual preferences in public. However, if we decide to continue this conversation in private-"

"Too much info, there," Buffy cut in.

As Adam continued pacing, the other three exchanged glances. "Babe?" Jay said softly, propping himself up. 

Adam smiled at him, a small smile, and came over to the second blonde. The smaller of the two edged up on the couch, and six-five of blonde, tanned Canadian squeezed himself into four-odd foot of space left by Jeff, Willow and Jay. The two held a muttered conversation, which ended with a sheepish smile from Adam and a long, fairly chaste kiss from Jay. Riley hurriedly backed away, as Matt and Jeff watched in amusement.

"You can't catch homosexuality, commando boy," the elder brunette noted. "Or bisexuality in their case."

Spike grinned. "Oh, you and the whelp are going to get along fabulously."

"Why are you here?" Buffy asked, a tad frostily. 

"Family issues," Jeff said evasively, interrupting a whispered conversation between himself and Willow for a moment.

"Then why are you visiting Spike?" Giles questioned.

Adam raised an eyebrow from his spot behind Jay. "What is this, the Inquisition?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes in return. "You are the ones who invaded _our_ town and are now associating with a vampire who has tried to kill us several times. I think we have a right to know why."

Jay smiled softly, pressing a kiss to Adam's forehead. Riley was looking a little green. "If you're that worried, boyo, go outside," Jeff said impatiently before levelling his gaze at Giles. "I'm surprised you haven't heard of us…didn't recognise us."

"But we aren't all that well known," Adam disagreed, looking at the other two of his friends for confirmation.

Matt shrugged, still swinging his legs like a little kid. "Still, it's not as if we're all that common."

"Um, I hate to ask, being that I'm sitting on the lap of one of you and all, but what exactly are you?" Willow asked, looking up into the face of the man that held her in his lap.

"All of us are blood," Jeff replied cryptically.

"You're all related?" Xander asked in disgust, looking at the two males cuddling on the couch.

"Not those two," Jeff nodded at Adam and Jay.

"But you just said…" Buffy trailed off.

"Bloody hell, chits, they're my childe," Spike snapped.

"Nicely done, Spike," Adam muttered as the Scoobies were shocked silent.

The bleached blonde looked on in amusement. "I should really say that more often."


	2. Family and Blood, chapter 2

Title: Family and Blood (2/?)

Author: Chimera

Timeline: I'm not quite sure what I said in previous chapters, so…completely AU for WWE characters. Buffy…B is dating Riley, no Anya or Tara. Um…Spike is…uh…let's just say we'll deal with it later. 

Spoilers: Unless you don't know why/how Riley became a Scooby, then no.

Notes: Yeesh…okay, this was originally the first part of a whole long chapter, but I just realized I have 22x{nearly}300 words to type up before I can post the next bit. Therefore, this short one to help it along a bit…and hopefully I can get some inspiration to type it all up. Um…all mistakes are my own as I have one beta at school and she doesn't know anything about Buffy/WWE so I won't let her touch it to change anything. And I apologise for any sucky accent-writing as I am Australian and the closest I've ever gotten to a North Carolinian was my relief teacher in sixth grade.

Distribution: fanfiction.net, Twisting the Hellmouth, but please, if you want it, take it! (just put my name on it)

Willow twisted herself around a bit to look at Jeff. "Uh…with childe he means as in adopted? And kinda not all blood-sucky?"

Jeff's expression stayed guarded. "I vant to suck yur blood!" Matt giggled in the background.

Buffy shuddered. "Please don't do that. It's disturbing," she stated, moving forward. She grabbed Willow roughly by the arm but the redhead witch didn't budge. "Let go of her you…you…blood-sucking fiend!" she growled, yanking harder on Willow's arm.

Adam snorted in the background as the blue haired man smiled innocently, removing his hands from Willow's waist and holding them up. "She's as free as a bird."

Willow was silent throughout this, her expression puzzled. Buffy pulled on her again, but still she barely moved. "Willow, get up," Buffy ordered.

She was still silent.

Xander's eyes skated over the room, searching for anything to help his friend. He stopped as they hit Spike, the English vamp trying to hide a grin. "What are you laughing about?" he snapped.

Spike's head came up, and the grin disappeared as everyone looked at him…everyone except Jeff and Willow, who were seemingly glued together. And oddly enough, Jay was glancing over the back of the couch at the two of them, a perplexed look on his face.

"Nothing," Spike said, a smirk reappearing on his face. "Has it just ever occurred to you that it wasn't me grae' grandchilde keeping 'er there but that she just didn't want to move?"

"Willow?" Giles questioned after a beat of silence.

The redhead smiled absently, standing and smoothing her skirt. "Sorry," she said, a touch of an unfamiliar insincerity in her voice. "Was just trying to figure something out."

Jay was still watching them, Xander noted with a little annoyance. "What?" Riley snapped. Apparently he hadn't been the only one that noticed.

The blonde shuddered back to consciousness and gave himself a slight shake. "Nothin'," he muttered. 

Giles narrowed his eyes; a glare worthy of Principal Snyder. Jay squirmed under the gaze, but remained silent.

"So why're you here, ducks?" Spike questioned the Scoobies.

Buffy started, her attention turning from her red-haired friend to the blonde. "Uh…to warn you," she said lamely.

" 'Bout what?" Spike prodded.

Willy told us there'd been four men enquiring about your whereabouts," Giles took over. "Obviously they found you."

Jeff smiled. "I suppose we did."

Spike blinked, sending a confused look at Giles. He then switched to Adam and Jay, then Matt, then Jeff. "Four," he echoed. He got up suddenly, walking out. "Matt, can I talk to you?" he called over his shoulder.

The brunette followed Spike out, but was unprepared for his sire slamming him against the mausoleum.

Inside, Adam frowned, and wriggled out of his embrace with Jay.

"Four?" Spike snarled. "Four!" He slammed him against the building again, this time following it up with a forearm across the throat.

"Get the fuck off him, William," a calm voice said behind him.

Spike still glared into Matt's eyes, but the brunette showed no sign of either being afraid or even hearing Adam's voice. His eyes were a mystery, some foreign emotion blocking everything else. It was like a shield, stopping anything from escaping or getting in. "Stay out of this, Adam."

The tall blonde had to fight the urge to obey the smaller blond. "No," he said simply. "Get off Matt or else I rip out your throat."

Matt still showed no emotion. Spike made a faint noise in his throat. "Now, William."

Spike's lip curled, but he let go of Matt. Matt's eyes suddenly snapped, and turned utterly black. The bleached blonde was abruptly hit with a mental onslaught of emotions. Spike reeled, both hands going to grasp his head, an unimaginable pain ripping through his mind. He staggered back, letting out a dim cry.

Adam leapt over and, with difficulty, looked into his friend's eyes and concentrated. Quickly sorting through the mess that was his friend's mind, he lightly 'pushed' a barrier into the road of his projection. As quickly as they had arrived, the emotions disappeared and Matt's eyes were normal. Watering, but normal. "C'mon Matt, you're alright," Adam coached. He looked daggers at the older vampire. "You upset him like this again, you get the royal treatment. Full body sunbathing, holy water bath, First Communion," he threatened.

"I didn't know a First Communion was fatal," Matt whispered.

The brunette uncurled from his position nearly in Adam's lap. Adam looked him over, taking in the tired grin, red eyes and pale – unusually pale - complexion. "Don't they make you hold crosses or something?" he tried to laugh off.

Matt shrugged. "Don't know," he said, his voice slowly getting stronger. "Religion never was my strong point."

"I _am_ sorry, pet," Spike whispered. "But…four?"

"Shannon," Matt said softly, all traces of strength gone from his voice. He heaved himself to a standing position anyway. "They..." His voice broke, and he sniffed a little. The brunette took a deep, unneeded breath.

"They got to him," Adam continued, his voice eerily calm. "After all our work, they found him."

Spike sat down, mindless of the fact his improvised chair was a tombstone. "Who?"

Adam swallowed, but it was Matt who answered. "The Cenas."

"The Cenas." Spike hadn't heard that name in a long time. "I thought they were gone…for good?"

"We thought they were too," a voice said from behind him. Spike whirled and Adam and Matt looked up. Both Jeff and Jay looked tired under the moonlight. Jeff levelled an angry glare at him, sizing up in an instant the marks on Matt's neck and his sire's hands. "Guess what…they weren't."

"Aren't," Jay added. He headed straight for Adam's arms. Once safe, he shivered slightly. "I saw them take him."

"What happened?" Spike questioned.

Jay buried his face in the hardness of Adam's chest, but still his voice was as clear as if he were only a few inches away.

"Three weeks ago, me and Shanny were hookin' up for a workout."

It was unbearably hot, he decided. Even for a vampire like himself. He stretched back, kept stretching until his hands hit the floor. _One. Two. Three. Four. Five…_

Jay-Jay had told him this was a good way to help concentration. And of course, Jeff being Jeff, had butted in saying that he would need a couple'a months worth. So he had decided to show him up. According to Jay, Jeff could only hold this for a matter of twenty seconds.

He had just hit fifty when he heard a noise. Easily changing position into a handstand, he walked on his hands to face the door. He flipped, landing on his feet.

"Shan?"

"Jay-Jay?" he called back.

Jay's blonde mane appeared around the door before he shook and his face became visible. "How're ya, baby?"

"Don't call me baby," Shannon frowned.

" 'Kay baby."

"That's it; you, me, ring, now."

The larger blonde smiled, ruffling Shannon's hair. "Sorry Shanny. Habit."

Shannon scowled, smoothing down his own long blonde hair again. "I'm only four years younger than Jeff."

"And Jeff's three years younger than me. What's your point?"

"The point is, I'm not a helpless little kid." Shannon looked a touch annoyed. "I'm one hundred and three years old, and you know both Jeff and Matt are a hell of a lot younger than me mentally."

Jay looked apologetic…and slightly hurt. "I'm sorry, Shannon."

The smaller blond watched an ant crawl across the ground, feeling just as small and strangely empty. He couldn't remember the last time Jay had actually called him by his full name.

"I'm going to the weight ro-" Jay jerked forward, landing on the floor. The man behind Jay grinned and lifted the crowbar again.

"Night-night Shanny."

The second blonde slumped to the floor. He had barely hit the ground before he was being dragged off like a sack of potatoes. Jay drifted back into consciousness only to see his attacker carelessly step on what looked like a tiny ant.

Matt hugged himself tightly. "You know it wasn't your fault, Jay. If I had shown up like I should have…"

The smallest blonde of the group peeked out of his blonde bombshell boyfriend's chest. "And you know it wasn't your fault Matt," he reproached.

The brunette still didn't look relieved of the guilt…and Spike suddenly had a feeling this wasn't the first time this conversation had taken place. Crossing the group in a few long strides, he forcefully pulled Matt into a hug, not caring at the fact that Matt was taller than him by a few inches. " 'M sorry baby," he whispered into Matt's long hair, rubbing Matt's back gently as the brunette crumpled slightly. "I know I shouldn't've."

"What the hell is this?" Buffy questioned. Adam, Jay and Jeff whipped around to look at the Slayer, Matt and Spike too caught up in emotion and apologies.

Adam glanced back at Matt and Spike, watching them separate and say a few words. Matt gave Spike a rueful grin before pecking him on the lips. "Thanks Spikey," he whispered, just loud enough for Adam to hear.

"Could I mention ew and I repeat what the hell is this?" Buffy repeated, her freakout level raising way above normal. Slimy eight foot demons she could deal with, but guy-on-guy smooching was just a little out of hand.

"None of your freaking business," Jeff answered almost pleasantly. Riley was next to him in a second, growling and reaching for a stake. Jeff simply stared, then scratched his head. "Personal space much?" He moved away, leaning against a tombstone next to Adam and Jay.

Matt returned, standing next to his blue-haired baby brother. "Just a little misunderstanding." He sent a look towards Spike, his brown eyes showing only bare emotion. "The reason we came here."

"Why *did* you come here?" Xander questioned.

The four exchanged a look. "Should we?" Jay questioned.

Adam shrugged. "If all goes well here for Jeff and Matty we might have to anyways." He winced as two punches hit him on the arm only a few inches apart. "Um, ow?"

"Story? Of coming?" Willow reminded them.

"Fine," Adam sighed. He turned to his blonde boyfriend. "Jay, you're the best storyteller."

"Since when?" Jay attempted to argue. But seeing nine expectant faces watching him, he gave up. "Great."

"It started back in the early 1900s..." 


	3. Family and Blood, chapter 3

Title: Family and Blood (Part 3/?)

Author: Chimera

Disclaimer: I don't think this was in the last chapters…WWE characters do not belong to me. (although legally, Jeff Hardy doesn't belong to WWE either, so screw you!) Buffy characters do not belong to me…uh…okay, legally, Druscilla doesn't belong to Buffy anymore, so screw you!…and now I'm mega confused. I'll shut up.

Notes: No I won't. Uh…times, dates, etc, are only for this chappie I think. Just a little easier to follow. The elemental names are either real, being names of necklace pendants or are made up by yours truly. And this is probably the first of up to another two more 'flashback' chappies. I know, I got carried away…I have to learn moderation.

1914, 31 July

Raleigh, NC

Local Time – 9:17 pm

The estate of Gilbert Hardy – dining room

"There is little that can be done, my friend."

Matt snarled, not unlike the growling wolf that tamely walked at his heels. "Ahim not goin' to let 'im just wal-lk in and take my owen brother!" he roared, accent thickening under pressure. His voice turned acidic, a barb he knew had a hundred percent chance of working. "What if it was Adam that was here and at risk?"

"That was low, Matthew. Very low," Jason growled back. He stopped the noise once the slightly - very slightly - tamed wolf stepped in front of the brunette almost nonchalantly.

"It worked, did it not?"

The blonde sighed, staring at the ground to compose himself. He mentally knocked out the tiny voice crying for self-preservation before looking back at his fellow witch. "Fine. We'll do it."

Matt blinked, his hand resting on his pet's head. "You willingly do this with me?"

"I willingly do this with you."

They shared an understanding, sad look. Matt sighed.

"Let's go do it then."

Matt caressed the grey wolf's head and ears one last time before kneeling and attaching a folded sheet of paper to the studded collar. He hid his face in the thick fur for a few seconds, calming himself, before speaking a few words in Latin. The canine whined for a moment before trotting out of the room. Jay watched the animal go, some irrational instinct telling him to grab the note and run. That thought disappeared as a picture of his three friends popped into his head, dead, drained, as the…*creature* stood over them, laughing. He swallowed, suddenly feeling what hundreds of soldiers must have felt like as they marched towards their deaths.

Local Time – 9:55

Gilbert Hardy's estate – 'Northern Gate'

   Candlelight danced along the walls. There were stars, made of red sand, under the eight illuminating black candles. The wax bubbled unnaturally as it dripped slowly down rivulets that deposited the hot wax into each point of each respective star.

   The blonde sat on the floor cross-legged, both of their lefts hands chained securely together over a small ornate pot. The bowl was half filled with smoking herbs and various liquids, and as both men added a single rose petal each the mixture rose until it was only a few drops from overflowing.

   "From our hearts, they whom we hold dear," Matt began.

   "-shall rest, in peace, they whom we hold dear," Jay finished.

   Both picked up silver needle-like instruments, the points sharpened so even a touch could break the skin. Quite deliberately, each man cut the other's wrist, not allowing themselves a wince and trusting each other utterly in the depth of the cut. Their blood mixed, and droplets turned into a steady stream of warm blood into the jar. The mix stilled, and suddenly overflowed. In small wisps of white smoke, the overflowing liquid disappeared.

   They began chanting together, closing their eyes.

   "We give of ourselves freely, no coercion nigh, bring us the creature, we wish for death by." Matt opened his eyes, staring into Jay's blue…no, brown. Were they? No, they were most definitely blue…brown.

   "No harm shall befall the elements, three which we hold dear," Jay said in English, perfectly in sync with Matt's Latin. They then swapped, Matt started the English as Jay began the ancient language of Latin.

   "My brother Jeff." Matt used his free hand to smear a small amount of the mixed blood onto Jay's neck.

   "My friend Adam." Jay did the same to Matt, taking care to mark the vein nearly visible through Matt's pale skin.

   "And baby Shannon," they said together.

   "Highest Athena, lowest Hades, let these remain safe." Matt exchanged a final look with Jay, his vision swimming slightly as blood loss began to affect his mind. "Let these remain, immune, protected, safe."

   They both closed their eyes, knowing without looking that all eight candles were floating a few centimetres above their allotted places. With a few seconds of concentration, the black candles heading for them, all now hovering one on top of another above their hands and the pot. A few errant drops of wax landed on their skin, the bright spark of pain bringing Jay back to the edge of consciousness.

   "Bring us William the Bloody, to take us. Bring him to us, keep him from our loved ones."

   With a final drop of mixed blood and wax the pot started bubbling harder, sending small, ironically freezing droplets of liquid in all directions. Smoke began pouring from the candles, and a sudden sharp pain flew through both men. Reflexively they both tried to curl into themselves, but the chain connecting their hands didn't give.

   The pain and loss of blood was too much. They both slumped forward, foreheads touching, unconscious.

Raleigh Local Time – 9:57

Undisclosed Location

   Druscilla whimpered, holding onto William tightly. "Spikey...stay here with mummy?"

Spike kissed her on the top of the head. "Baby, we both need food. I promise I'll be back soon."

"Miss Aneytte's a naughty girl but she doesn't lie," the mad vampire pouted. "She said if you go tonight you'll disappear and leave me."

"Miss Aneytte's wrong love," Spike said with a touch of irritation in his voice. "I'm not going anywhere."

Druscilla floated off, mumbling something about poison in her tummy. Spike rolled his eyes ever so slightly before walking out into the darkness of the night.

The lone few stars twinkled as he disappeared in a brief gust of smoke.

He landed on all fours. Spike glanced around, sitting back on his haunches. Nose twitching, he detected the aroma of rosemary, the tiniest of garlic, and...blood? Was that blood?

"Bloody 'ell."

He knew he was still in Raleigh; he could sense the heated air and trees native to the area. But why had he mysteriously gone poof and landed...somewhere other?

He sniffed again. A smirk crept over his face as he easily bounded over to the two still, slumped bodies.

Raleigh Local Time – 10:29

Undisclosed Location

"Baby? Look what I brought you..." Spike smiled wickedly.

Druscilla neatly skipped over, before frowning. She pulled on the brunette's hair, so she could see his face. She patted his cheek carefully as she set him down again on Spike's shoulder, then repeated the action with the blonde. She turned a frown to Spike. "But Spikey...you know I like the girls better."

Spike dropped the bodies on the floor, careless of how they landed. "The blonde one's nearly a girl," he protested feebly.

"Spikey, I want a girl!" Druscilla whined.

Spike glanced over the two men, fully prepared to rip out their throats. He moved over as if to do that, when...

"Keep them," Dru purred. "Change them later...please?"

She bit her bottom lip hard. Spike could never resist her mock-innocence face, so he nodded. Dru smiled, then wiped her hand over her mouth. Spike grinned wickedly as he saw blood on her pale white skin. She offered her hand to the blonde with a childlike, bewildered look. "I'm bleeding, Spike."

"Sure are, pet," Spike growled. Druscilla gleefully clapped her hands as Spike shifted into game face and stalked her.

"I like this game," she giggled. Then she turned tail and fled.

   Their laughter and growls echoed through the dreams of the two slumped men.

Raleigh Local Time – 11:01

The estate of Gilbert Hardy – Jeffery's room

"Who's a pretty boy then?"

Jeff lightly tickled Shannon's nose. The blonde's teeth came together with a snap as he tried to bite off Jeff's finger.

"Obviously not him," a laughing voice said from behind him. Jeff whirled around and a delighted grin appeared.

   "Adam!" he nearly squealed.

   The Canadian laughed as he was nearly knocked over by the exuberant Carolinian.

   "I would hug you too, the amazing idiot has prevented that," an unamused voice said.

   Jeff looked up at the taller Adam, his green eyes shining with guilty mirth. He laughed into Adam's jacket. "He's handcuffed to the wall." Adam groaned, but he had to bite back a grin as he saw what the eighteen-year-old Jeff had done to Shannon.

   The smaller blonde growled, one of the numerous braids falling over his eyes. "I swear, I _will_ kill you one of these days."

   "You're in a right pickle there, aren't you baby?" Adam questioned a muscle in his cheek twitching as he fought to control his laughter. He turned to Jeff, cheek still twitching. "And weren't you told to get rid of your weird stuff by your father?"

   Jeff snorted at the suggestion of obeying his father, and Adam had to admit it was a pretty lame point. Jeff hadn't obeyed his father since his thirteenth birthday – his older brother Matt had stopped at ten.

   "Just get me down so I can get this shit out of my hair!"

   "Language, Shannon," Adam frowned. He studied the lock carefully. "Jeffery, where's the key?"

   The unnatural redhead rocked back and forth on his hells, digging for something around his neck. Jeff unclipped the necklace and tossed the key to Adam, for the thousandth time choking back laughter.

   The fourteen-year-old rolled his eyes in frustration. "Just get me down."

   "Where's Matt and Jay?" Adam questioned, the key clicking in the locks. Shannon rubbed his wrists and ankles, then headed for the bathroom.

   "Don't know. Ask mister funny bunny over there," he said sourly over his shoulder.

   The tall blonde looked back at Jeff. Seeing the man was in no way to retort or answer (rolling on the floor laughing tends to remove speech capabilities) he shrugged, his cheek twitching again.

   Shannon stuck his head around the door. "Don't laugh!" he snarled…looking fairly pitiful as Jeff's handiwork fell over his eyes.

   Adam yeeped, Shannon darted back into the bathroom, and Jeff came one step closer to throwing up.

   The tall blonde gave up the fight and started snickering.

   The sight of Shannon Moore with dyed pink braids, pencilled-in facial hair and multiple stencilled piercings was just too weird to resist.

Local Time – unknown. Possibly after midnight. August 1

Undisclosed Location

   Jay blinked awake slowly. Before full consciousness hit him he raised a hand to rub his head. _Ow._

   "Hurts, don't it?" a shaky voice questioned just above him.

   The blonde looked up to see Matt looking down on him…kinda invading personal space. "Uh," he agreed, rolling backwards. Until he smacked into a wall, that is. "Who put a wall there?" Jay asked stupidly.

   Matt chuckled dryly. "Welcome to Hell. Population: two."

   "The spell didn't work?" Jay questioned.

   The brunette nearly whimpered, low in his throat. "It worked. Just not the way we had planned."

   "Please explain," Jay sighed. "Either it worked or it didn't."

   "Yes with a but, and no with an although." Matt leaned back and hit his head on the wall a few times. "I think we were taken somewhere by Mr. Bloody. Since he hasn't killed us, he's either saving us for something or I'm wrong and for some reason you're sharing my Hell."

   For the first time Jay actually looked around. They were in a tiny cell…box would be a better term. Matt was able to sit, but he wouldn't even be able to really squat without hitting his head on the ceiling. The wall Jay had collided with was actually the door, only noticeable by a small window letting in a dim stream of light and a paper-thin crack around the outside. The cell couldn't have been any bigger than 3 foot by 3 foot by 4 foot. He glanced again at Matt, using what little light there was to study his friend. The blonde suddenly winced, and rolled over to the huddled brunette.

   Matt was extremely claustrophobic.

Local Time – 11:59

Gilbert Hardy's estate – Jeffery Hardy's bedroom

Shannon was mumbling all sorts of bad things under his breath as he rubbed furiously at his hair. Various death threats, some fairly inventive torture techniques, horrible little surprises...

He hissed at Jeff as he walked out of the bathroom. "I hate you," he mouthed slowly and deliberately.

Jeff mocked pain, and held his chest. "That hurts, Shanny," he protested, wiping a fake tear from his eye.

He then grinned devilishly. "There's still a little curl in that mane of yours."

Shannon flew at him, but two strong arms caught him only centimetres from the smirking man. "Hold your horses, babe."

"Let me go Adam!" Shannon yelled. "I'll fuckin' kill 'im! He's dead!"

The wolf watched from the doorway, his bright, unnaturally green eyes seeking out his master's kin. He whined, drawing attention to himself.

All three men blinked; Shannon in mid-flight, Adam in a slowly losing battle of keeping the other two apart, and Jeff simply smirking.

The last time they had seen the wolf without Matt by it's side was...well, never.

  _Not even at the party Father threw,_ Jeff smiled. 

   He remembered very well the horror that passed through the hall as Matt 'flitted' around the room and complied with his father's wishes of talking to every female in the place. Gilbert Hardy looked faint as the large grey wolf trotted after son and caused every woman, girl and old maid in the place to back away from the brunette as he approached. The senior Hardy had finally had enough and had whispered furiously to 'get that the hell out of here!'. Unfortunately, his father had a most unfortunate habit of pointing to things he was talking about. The man had the bad luck to come out of the party with nine and a half fingers. That had been the first and last party his father ever threw.

Adam approached the canine fairly fearlessly, but stopped and crouched a few feet away. "Hey boy," he crooned. "Where's Matty? Where's your master?" The blonde kept up the soft chatter, making sure he didn't show his teeth. The dog whined again, then surprised Adam by brushing up against him and nearly making him fall. Adam kept his surprise to a minimum, and softly scratched the wolf behind the ear. "Hey, beautiful one, whatcha' doin' here? Matt isn't here…is he?" he asked Shannon and Jeff, looking over his shoulder.

"He's with Jay-Jay," Shannon said softly, slightly in awe of the creature that stood nearly half his height.

"What's on his collar?" Jeff asked, his amazement of anyone except Matt touching the animal pushed aside in favour of curiosity.

Adam gently plucked the folded paper from the dog's collar. The wolf let out another whine and pawed at the hand holding the paper anxiously…as anxiously as an animal could, anyway. He unfolded the paper and briefly skimmed it. 

   At the end his heart suddenly decided it liked his stomach more than his chest cavity and dropped. Adam choked back his emotions as Jeff and Shannon exchanged a glance, previous aversion forgotten. The blonde drew in a deep, steadying breath before starting to read aloud. 

"Dear Jeffers and Shanny (and Adam if you're there),

You remember the book Shanny found? The witchcraft book, with spells for tracking and repelling demons, etc? I lied.

The book is mine.

I'm sorry Jeff**.** I kept practicing…yes, after Mom died. I know you stopped; you said it was the thing that took her away. But magick was the only thing I shared with her, and I couldn't give it up. I said I met Jay at a party. It was actually a gathering of witches. I think it was nearly the same situation with you and Jay, Adam. And Shanny…well, you knew. After the whole book thing, you confronted me, and I admitted it. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, as just accepting it as a part of me I needed.

Anyways…you wouldn't happen to remember back before Mom died she told us about Angelus, Scourge of Europe? The story that made you hide under her skirt? Well, guess what? He's made childe. And grandchilde. And one of them is here, in Raleigh. Word on the street is that he's looking for natural born elementals.

Maybe you forgot this part of the history…elementals aren't faeries or elves roaming the forest. They're the 'presences'; the, if trained, magickally gifted.

You're an elemental, Jeff. A Sesa, to be precise. The free spirit. Never captured.

So is Shannon. Gammadion. The protection of the four winds, and power over them.

And guess what, Adam is too. An Arrina. Strength, yet latency. The physical strongest, potential for anything.

Me an' Jay? We're…half elementals, I guess you could say. I'm a Marsalign, warfare, animalia. Jay's a Fierning. Psychic powers.

But if William the Bloody gets his hands on more than one full elemental…just two…he could quite possibly destroy the balance of power all over the world. What does that mean? No magick. None.

Why are we worried?

Because the only thing holding the world together is magick. If there was no magick in the world, we'd be hiding in a rubbish dump praying to survive the next three minutes.

But we found a spell, to stop William's hunt for elementals. Problem is, there's only five full elementals in the world. Three of them being you three, ironically William himself is one, and a woman in Maine. And the spell calls for the last conscious drops of blood of a full elemental.

Jay and I figure two half elementals make one full.

The spell also calls for love for at least half of the elementals. We have that in excess.

And guys…the spell also calls for two sacrifices to William. So as you read this, there's a near 100% chance we're dead. Or worse.

The spell works in the way that as soon as our hearts stop beating, he can never kill another elemental.

Please, Jeff, Shanny, Adam, never forget how much we love each of you. Never forgot us, and we want you all to be happy for the rest of your lives.

                        Love,

                                    Matt and Jay.

   "We need to find them."

   Jeff and Shannon looked at each other, surprised at this same idea.

   "We're invincible against this William dude. We don't have anything to lose," Jeff argued.

   Adam was silent. "Adam, think," Shannon pleaded, his eyes wide and dark with newly-acquired years. "We can't be killed by this dude."

   "Not yet," Adam stressed. He sat, and put his head in his hands. "Just let me think." He felt like there was a mountain of responsibility on his shoulders, being the eldest by nearly six years.

   Coming to a sudden crossroads in his thoughts, he looked up. "Jeff?"

   "Yeah, man?"

   "Matt said you quit doing magick."

   Jeff looked pained, an emotion Adam had never wanted to see on his honorary brother's face. "Yeah." He stared at the ground. "Our mother was a great teacher. As soon as either of us turned five, we started learning her craft." He laughed softly. "I started three years after Matt, and yet a coupl'a months into mah lessons and I was a hella lot stronger than him." He dug his foot into the carpet. "Guess I know why now…I quit practicing when Momma died. When she died…I just couldn't face anything of hers. Father hated it, called it her handicap, her disease."

   Adam studied him for a moment, hardening his heart against the sadness on the redhead's face. "Okay," he thought aloud. "So…if this spell of theirs was to sacrifice themselves…it stands to reason that Jay and Matt'd have to die-" He winced on the word. "-for it to go into effect."

   "So therefore we won't know when and if we're indestructible against William," Shannon finished, looking like Adam felt. "Fuck."

   Adam couldn't blame Shannon for swearing.

   Jeff sighed. "Guys…I might have a way."

Raleigh Local Time – approximately four to six hours after 'capture'

Undisclosed Location

   Matt was nearly catatonic.

   Jay was nearly insane.

   That's the way William found them when he unlocked the door of the cell. Jay looked up, but his eyes, unused to light, rebelled against him and blackened his sight. Matt had no reaction, still rocking backwards and forwards, his eyes hazy and unfocused.

   Spike raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter with your friend?" he questioned. He sniffed, eyes unintentionally lighting up. "The fear is amazing."

   "He's claustrophobic," Jay said shortly, carefully erased of the worry for his friend. Matt had been like that for at least half the time in that cell. He glared up at the man…creature, he reminded himself…unwilling to show any weakness. The sight started coming back to his blue eyes, and he slowly took in the haphazard brown mop and blue-gold eyes. "You're cute," he said offhandedly. "What are you planning to do to us?"

   Spike blinked at the two opposing sentences said in almost the same breath. "Uh, thanks," he said, scratching his head. "I'm Spike. And yeah, how do you feel about living forever?"

   Jay blinked back at him before looking at his friend. "That is what we're here for," he murmured softly, still staring at Matthew. He swallowed as he heard Matt's breathing…shallow, rasping. Without looking back up at Spike, he deliberately made his voice low-pitched. "Could you just hurry?"


	4. Family and Blood, chapter 4

Author: Chimera

Title: Family and Blood (4/?)

Summary: We learn more of Matt, Jeff, Jay, Adam and Shannon.

Notes: One more page of typing to go…whoo! A long weekend can do something to you. Thank God for whoever invented Labor Day (Australian, Queensland, sorry). And I have nothing better to do, so you all benefit!

The question has been raised of how does Spike change them without destroying the power balance in the world…I made an eensy mistake in first chappie. Only one of the crew is actually Spike's childe…and I think that ruined part of the next chapter…oh, no, it didn't. Anyhoo, next chapter should be the last flashback chapter, then we can go on to the 'getting Shannon back with or without the Slayer's help' chapters.

And sorries are in order for those of you who like Buffy…me personally, I don't, but I needed a couple of people to take the miniature bad guy places, and Willow and Xander are not in line for the 'make me a bad guy' part of my brain.

And that probably only made sense to three people. Oh well. No one ever said writing was easy.

   Jeff lit the solitary white candle, making sure it only flickered as he breathed. He sent a smile to where Adam and Shannon were standing outside the circle of light the candle provided. He took in a deep breath.

   "Athena, mistress of the hunt, help me in our quest. I wish to seek my comrade, my partner, my brother."

   Adam shuddered as he watched his friend recite the simple chant, a sudden cold wind whipping around Jeff in a circular pattern. He held onto Shannon hard, nearly afraid that the strong wind would somehow take Shannon with it.

   Jeff stopped his mantra. He took another deep breath before slowly, agonising slowly, passing his hand through the flame. It flickered once, twice, three times…then it went out.

   Adam exhaled a breath he didn't realise he was holding. He then inhaled sharply as Jeff's hand independently burst into flame. The tall blonde hissed before stepping forward to stop whatever it was that was happening. His first step nearly took him into the mini-tornado that had formed, 

   He was stopped by a surprisingly strong hand. Adam whirled around to see Shannon holding onto him, his long hair whipping around with the wind.

   "What the hell are you doing?" he yelled. The wind snatched away his words before they reached Shannon, but the small blonde got the idea.

   Shannon stepped closer, his mouth now close to Adam's ear even taking in the height difference. "He's not hurting."

   The taller blonde glanced back. For the first time, he noticed Jeff's face…calm, composed, no sign of discomfort. "Look at his hand," he heard Shannon say. He glanced down, and Jeff's hand…wasn't truly burning. The flame licked at his fingers and palm, but it was as if the fire was burning on something radiating from Jeff's hand and not the skin itself.

   The redhead stared at his hand, bring it to eye level, only vaguely aware of his two friends outside the circle of wind. Good thing too. If he got distracted now his hand would really start to burn.

   "Show me Matthew," he whispered to the flame.

   His eyes rolled back in his head and he dropped backwards like a stone. The flame extinguished and the room was suddenly draped in darkness.

   "Matt?" Jeff called. "Brother?"

   There was no answer.

   The green eyed man squinted into the clouds around him, batting away the more mischievous fog as they tried to encase him in transparency. 

   He glanced around, not much liking this the place he found himself in, or what this place meant. His mother had told him about this place, providing him with nightmares for a week, and telling him about this spell and the results. 'The phantom paths', she had called it. Jeff squinted as up ahead he spied something solid, crumpled on the ground. He hurried his paces, pleading with the Powers That Be that it wasn't what he thought it was. 

   He couldn't breathe.

   There was no air.

   The spell would not work. His brothers, both blood and honorary, would be in danger.

   Matt sank into himself, the walls and his fear crowding him. Some tiny, near insignificant part of his mind rebelled against what he was about to do, but his fear drove it into nothingness.

   He opened his mind to his wolf, just like the wolf had to him. His eyes flashed green for a singe moment before he growled and shook himself out of his position.

   There was his packmate to be found.

   Jeff barely avoided the mass as he near skidded into it. He flipped it over, heart in his throat.

   He stared, shaken.

   Blue eyes stared at him, accusing and too familiar for comfort.

   With a slight 'pop' noise another mass appeared, only scant metres from the other. Jeff trembled as the body's sightless brown eyes stared past him into nothingness.

   A soundless tear dripped down his cheek as he stood and ran.

   Shannon was still pacing. Adam was still talking to Jeff's motionless body. And Jeff was still silently crying. 

   The smaller blonde growled and pushed Adam away. "Jeffery Nero Hardy, wake the hell up!" he yelled in the redhead's face.

   His eyes blinked open.

   Shannon sent a smug smile to Adam and continued pacing.

   "Are you okay?" Adam questioned softly. He wiped the pads of his thumbs lightly under Jeff's eyes, collecting his tears.

   Jeff blinked furiously, trying to keep more tears at bay. "I found them both," he whispered.

   Adam exchanged a thankful glance with Shannon. "That's great!" he exclaimed, then frowned. "Isn't it?"

   The redhead took in a deep breath, feeling an unnatural calm come over him. "The spell I did should have taken me to wherever they were. I hit the 'phantom paths'. That's where disturbed souls go."

   Shannon sat down on the arm o the couch Jeff had been laid on after his proverbial knockout. "And that means what?" Shannon asked softly.

   "They've been changed," Jeff said without emotion. "And we have three vampires to kill instead of one."

   Matt-Wolf sniffed the air, then made a strange half-purr half-growl deep in his throat. He had found his packmate…but there was something wrong with him. He padded over to his running mate…_Jay,_ some tiny part of his mind told him…and lightly jumped onto the bed Jay was lying on. He nosed him over, then whined, hearing nothing from the body. Matt sniffed sadly at his motionless friend, and licked his face gently. He let out a sigh before lying down, propping his head on Jay's stomach. He would stand guard over his friend until that odd thump-thump started again.

   "Stakes, crossbow, holy water, cross," Jeff rambled under his breath.

   "Garlic?" Adam questioned vacantly.

   "Doesn't work. Axes, swords," the redhead continued, packing things into his oversized bag.

   "Beheading. Good," Adam muttered.

   "I don't want to interrupt your violence preparation party, but do you know exactly where they are?" Shannon asked softly.

   Jeff stopped suddenly, looking weirdly like a cranky three-year-old. "I don't know…maybe a…body location spell."

   "That lead us to Matt and Jay or where they died?" Adam asked.

   "Where they are. When you're turned…a demon just takes over your body. It remembers your life, how you felt, everything. But it's not you." Jeff stared at the ground. "It's a legend that specific bloodlines have immunity. And therefore they themselves keep, and anyone they change will stay as themselves but just live forever. But it's a fairytale, my mother said." Jeff bit his lip. "Just a fairytale," he repeated.

   "Nothing more."


	5. Family and Blood, chapter 5

Title: Family and Blood (5/?)

Author: Chimera

Warnings: slash, occasional blood, freaky situations

Disclaimer: Buffy nor the WWE belongs to me. Pity. I could do so much – how would you feel about a Shawn Michaels/Chris Jericho hot oil match?

Notes: This flashback will hopefully end in the next chapter. Hopefully. *Hopefully.* And hopefully most questions will be answered by then. And we can move forward in the story.

   Jay opened his eyes, and groaned as the light hit him. "Ah, my 'ead."

   There was a whine at his side, and he looked down. Matt was lying by his side, using his stomach as a pillow. "Hey Matt," he grunted, then his eyes widened as the happenings of the last few hours crashed upon him like a tidal wave. Jay sat up abruptly. He took in the silk-sheeted bed he was lying on, the black, gothic canopy above him…and Matt was still not speaking. "Matt?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly. Matt said nothing, only slapped at him to lie back down. "I need you to talk."

   Matt cocked his head before butting him in the side lightly with his forehead. He nuzzled Jay under the chin, practically in his lap. Almost automatically Jay stroked the brunette's hair, eyes suddenly focusing in on one strange point. "Matt, when did your eyes turn green?"

   Matt simply blinked at him. Jay stared at him for a few more minutes before burying his face in his hands. He keened, low in his throat. Matt whimpered, sensing the new mix of emotions, and tried to pull the blonde from his position. Jay paid no attention but only lost himself further in his guilt and self-hatred.

   Spike had taken him from their cell, leaving the door open. He remembered that clearly; Matt had been easily visible and Jay had tried to send him reassuring thoughts, trying to get him responsive, willing him to be responsive. The blonde vampire…Spike…had pushed him onto the bed and unceremoniously bit him. Jay shuddered as he remembered the feeling…blind, agonizing pain, feeling like his very soul was been taken through his neck…and then shuddered again as the memory of his change came back…the darkness, and the power, and the intensity of the gift he had been cursed with…immortality. Jay had whimpered, but the powerful vampire had paid no heed to the helpless mortal and had continued until Jay had passed out from exhaustion – vain attempts to resist, and the change coursing through his body.

   He let out a half-sob. The feeling of loss was overwhelming, and yet there was something extra inside him…something he knew to be dark. Every text he had ever read on vampires started a whispering inside his head.

   _Evil, undilutable and pure evil…_

   _…the scourge of the underworld…_

   _The cowardous stalkers of the night…_

   "I'm nothing," he whispered to himself. "I'm nothing, I'm not good." The blonde crumpled, hugging his knees to his chest as he turned his face into the thickness of the blankets. The soft material covering his face only served to remind him that he didn't need to breathe anymore, and he sobbed out again, "I'm nothing, I'm not good, I'm nothing…"

   Matt whined, nosing at Jay's back. He was worried. Very worried. Something was wrong with his packmate.

   And that thumping noise hadn't started yet.

   Jeff stared at Shannon. "You trust me?"

   Shannon nodded shortly. "Let's get it done."

   "Hades, the low, and Zeus, the high, we beseech you to assist your sons. The proper passage is not found, the high, the low, so Hades' will is not done. Zeus' ceremony is not complete. High and low, assist your sons. Take away place, and show the physical plane where your lost sons lie. Hades' will is done as we find them."

   One hazel eye opened cautiously before Shannon blinked. He kept his hands hovering over Jeff's, but glanced around. Adam was still watching silently, nervously, and nothing was out of place. The spell hadn't even been all that difficult, just the chant and a bit of concentration.

   Jeff himself blinked awake, the near trance he had been in broken. He stared at Shannon, searching his eyes. "Shanny, I need you to think," he said urgently. "Is there anything you feel? Like a wish to go somewhere?"

   The blonde's expression grew a little puzzled, but he breathed in deeply and concentrated on the bright green of Jeff's eyes. His own grew out of focus and he found himself looking past Jeff. He nearly felt like he was floating…out of the room through a wall, down the streets, passing houses and shops that he knew all too well…and he snapped back into consciousness.

   Jeff smiled at him reassuringly, patting him on the shoulder. "It's alright, Shanny." He looked at Adam. "We'll do it again."

   Shannon shook his head violently. Jeff had mistaken his silence. "I know where they are." 

   Jay was quickly running out of tears.

   Matt was running out of sanity.

   And Druscilla skipping into the room didn't make things much better.

   She stopped short at the sight of the two men, one curled up on the bed and the other silently guarding.

   "My angel," she murmured softly. "And my wolf…"

   She ambled over to the bed, but stopped in her tracks once Matt started a low growl, ceaseless, his green gaze locked onto her. Dru frowned prettily, but lifting her hand slightly her frown turned into a smile as Matt's eyes followed the limb. "My wolf." She sat down softly on the corner of the bed, well away from Matt and Jay. The crumpled figure still wasn't moving.

   Matt raised himself on hands and knees, and crawled his way over to Druscilla. His growls were still audible, but were slightly quieter than before.

   "Yes, puppy," she cooed, "come to mummy."

   The brunette sniffed once more at Jay and whined. He looked pitifully at Jay, then back at Dru. She understood immediately. "He sick?"

   A growl almost unintentionally slipped from Matt as Dru leaned over to check on Jay. His blue eyes blinked as a pale woman swam into view.

   She tsked unappreciatively. "Are you sick, my angel?" she asked, frowning when she placed her hand on his forehead. "You don't feel sick…but the stars say you hurt. Where do you hurt, angel?"

   Jay just stared silently. "They say you hurt…here." She placed her hand on her own chest, before looking confused. "Why do you hurt?"

   "I'm bad," he whimpered.

   Dru still looked confused. "You can be anything you want to be," she frowned. Her gaze slid to Matt again. "Your puppy," she murmured. 

   "He's not a puppy."

   The mad vampire pointed upwards, staring at the roof like it held the secret of life. "The clouds say so."

   Jay still looked confused.

   Matt unexpectedly nuzzled Dru's side. She smiled sweetly and patted his head, one hand disappearing into his wild mane of hair.

   The brunette yelped as one of Dru's long fingernails dug into his neck. "Sorry puppy," she crooned, getting off the bed and leaning over him. "But even angels need food." She bounced out of the room, a little girl heading no where in particular.

   Matt whined pitifully. He stumbled slightly as he made his way up the bed…that one nail had done a lot of damage, Jay noted in concern. He was drawn out of his reverie by that concern, and quickly rolled to help his friend.

   "Matty?" he asked fearfully.

   He rolled the brunette onto his back, and drew in a sharp breath.

   The damage had been done…Matt's clothes were now stained with his life blood, and by the amount he was losing Jay figured he had three more minutes with his friend. He covered the deep cut with his hand, but knew it wouldn't do anything.

   And at the back of his mind was hunger and instinct.

   _…drink…_

   _…drain and kill…_

   _…the blood is yours now…_

   With an anguished moan he stared at Matt. The brunette's eyes were closed, and he was breathing harshly. His lips were slowly taking on a different colour, and the beat below his hand was slowing…

   _Please God, forgive me._

   He bent over his friend and drank.

   Shannon glanced at the buildings around him. He knew this place. The boys at school had talked about this place – before he pulled himself out, that is. This was the bad section of town – where the boys went to 'turn into men'. He shuddered as dirty faces turned his way, a few going so far as to lecherously grin at him showing a handful of dirty teeth.

   He indicated up ahead, to one of the last buildings in the city proper. "They're in there."

   Jeff came up to him, his face newly streaked with dirt after the worst leg of their 'trip'. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, and Shannon winced as a clean line was revealed on his face – obviously Jeff had succumbed to his grief at some point in the trip.

   The blue haired man noticed Shannon's pity, and quickly wiped the tear track away. "Alright," he said gruffly. "Remember, whatever's in there isn't Jay or Matt anymore."

   Adam swallowed, staring up at the building. It was bad enough losing two of your best friends…worse losing them twice. "We can fall apart after this," the blonde added softly, almost to himself.

   The other two men with him nodded. Shannon cleared his throat. "Let's get moving."

   "Matty, please wake up," Jay said softly, petting his dark curls continuously. He untangled every last lock he could get to, laying it out artfully on the pillow. He whimpered as his hand came across flaking blood entangling Matt's hair, reminding him of what he'd just done.

   The blonde glanced down at his wrist, the deep cut from only a moment ago fully healed. He rubbed lightly at Matt's neck, scraping off the drying blood to find no evidence of the laceration that had forced him to do what he never thought he could.

   A low, unearthly whine came from deep within Matt's throat. Jay sat up fearfully, staring at his friend…childe, now.

   His nose wrinkled slightly, and he opened his eyes.

   They were still green.

   And that's when Jeff, Adam and Shannon burst into the room.


End file.
